Well-known for covering American politics and foreign affairs for three decades and multiple major publications, journalist Gwen Ifill died of cancer at age 61 in a Washington hospice.
Hailing from Jamaica, Queens, Ifill was the daughter of Caribbean immigrants and joined Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 1999 as an on-air moderator in the program “Washington Week in Review.” She was also active in PBS Newshour as a co-anchor and managing editor.
By 2004, Ifill stepped into a new level of prominence when she moderated the vice presidential debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards. Four years later, she moderated the debate between vice presidential candidates Joe Biden and Sarah Palin.
"It is with extreme sadness that we share the news that Gwen Ifill passed away earlier today surrounded by family and friends," said PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger. "... Our sorrow at her passing is a part of our profound gratitude for all that she did for our system and our nation. It was an honor to know Gwen and to work with her. All of us at PBS express our sincere condolences to Gwen's friends and family."
Fox news reported that Ifill had taken time off last spring for unspecified health problems, and was absent from covering the final days of the Clinton-Trump presidential campaign. On Monday, Nov. 14, PBS issued a statement saying that Ifill had succumbed to cancer after several months of treatment.
(NTD Television)
Featured image: Gwen Ifill, Washington Week, PBS NewsHour speaks onstage at the 'PBS Election Coverage' panel during day 2 of the PBS portion of the 2012 Summer TCA Tour held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 22, 2012 in Los Angeles. Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images